What is VAVELTAŽ?
VAVELTA® is a skin rejuvenation product intended to improve the structure, function and appearance of skin damaged by scarring and the aging process.
VAVELTA® is a suspension of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) in cell storage medium, for injection into the skin. HDFs are responsible for the production of collagen and when injected into the skin, they are intended to produce collagen.
VAVELTA® is injected directly into the target area using a fine gauge needle. It is a straightforward and minimally invasive procedure.
VAVELTA® is a suspension of 20 million collagen-secreting skin cells per ml known as human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) presented in a specially designed, sealed glass vial.
Why do lines and wrinkles occur and what happens to the skin when it ages?
Lines and wrinkles occur in particular locations on the face, neck and hands in response to repeated muscular action, sagging under the force of gravity, excessive exposure to sun, smoking, heat and cold and chemical agents present in the environment.
Wrinkles are often present in areas of particularly thin skin such as around the eyes, between the nose and corners of the lips or between the eyebrows and in locations which are particularly mobile or are moved repeatedly in the same direction. As skin ages it becomes less cellular, thinner and more prone to fine wrinkles.
What are scars and why do they form?
Scars are formed when the dermis is damaged by accidental trauma, surgery, disease or skin conditions such as acne. The body forms new collagen fibres to mend the damage resulting in a scar. These may be produced to excess and in a less organised way, resulting in skin with a different texture and quality than the surrounding tissue.
Some scars have a sunken or pitted appearance when underlying structures supporting the skin (i.e. fat or muscle) are lost. Some surgical and acne scars have this appearance. Scars known as contractures result when scars cross joints or skin creases at right angles and the fibres of the scar shorten. These are common after burns and often result in pain and reduced mobility.
What is the extracellular matrix?
The extracellular matrix of the skin is a complex network of fibrous and non-fibrous materials that contribute to the structure and appearance of the skin. The fibres are mainly formed from collagen and elastin and in between these fibres, can be found a variety of large molecules such as proteoglycans and hyaluronic acid.
The extracellular matrix is synthesised and assembled by cells including HDFs and keratinocytes to produce a structure that withstands the mechanical and physical forces imposed on the skin.
What is collagen?
Collagen is made by HDFs. It is a tough, insoluble protein found throughout the body in the connective tissues that hold muscles and organs in place.
In the skin, collagen supports the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin) making it durable and elastic. Collagen forms a meshwork of fibres and is a key contributor to the structure and texture of skin. As collagen in the meshwork breaks down, it is replaced and repaired by new collagen secreted by fibroblasts.
With age, the number of HDFs declines as does their ability to make collagen. In addition, agents (such as metalloproteases or MMPs) that destroy collagen increase, particularly in response to sun exposure. Chronically sun damaged skin has a significantly lower collagen content compared to skin that has not been exposed to the sun. This decline in collagen is exacerbated by a reduction in the skin’s ability to repair collagen and as the collagen volume and integrity diminishes the meshwork begins irretrievably to break down. This manifests itself in the form of wrinkles and roughened texture.
